Donating bone marrow is anonymous, so Ryals and Skye didn’t meet. But, from that surgery in 2016, the two were linked.

The Savren-McCormick family then received more horrible news: Skye had developed a second form of cancer – this time, post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder. Fewer than 1 percent of bone marrow transplant recipients get it as a result of their transplant.

“She’s a fighter, and she is full of spunk, and she just has the best attitude and I think everybody could learn something from this 3-year old,” Ryals said.

They met for the first time at the wedding

Shortly after Skye’s first transplant from Ryals, the donor sent the family an anonymous letter through Be the Match, the nonprofit organization through which she donated her bone marrow. The letter said Ryals was thinking of the family and being called to donate gave her a sense of purpose.

Talia sent an anonymous letter back.

Finally, Ryals and the Savren-McCormick family both reached out to Be the Match, saying they’d like to get in touch with each other. Though the Savren-McCormicks lived in California and Ryals lived in Alabama, they soon formed a bond.

The relationship began through email, then a phone call and texting.

For Skye’s birthday, Ryals sent her a present with an invitation to serve as flower girl in her wedding.

“We were really taken aback by how sweet it was,” Talia said.

The toddler was on oxygen at the time, and they thought there was no way they’d be able to go. But, once she was off oxygen, her doctors said it would be fine.

Skye and Ryals met for the first time at the wedding rehearsal.

“We were in the front, looking around, and she [Ryals] came in and immediately came over to Skye and dropped to her knees. Skye gave her a big hug,” Talia said. “The whole night, they were sitting together. It was so sweet. It was like they were in love.”

They share a special bond

The two shared an instant connection. Though Skye is too young to know Ryals helped save her life, she knows Ryals is somebody special, her mother said.

“I look forward to the years to come with Skye growing up and continuing this relationship with Hayden and watching Hayden grow up, too,” Talia said.

The Savren-McCormicks stress to people how easy it is to get on the registry to donate bone marrow.

“Anyone could be somebody who saves a life,” Talia said. “You don’t have to be a superhero.”

Ryals said she’ll feel a link to Skye for the rest of her life.

“She’s everything to me,” she said. “And, this whole journey, I’ve never once seen it as me helping her, because I was honored to do it and it was a privilege for me to get to do it. In my eyes, she’s the one that saved me.”